the thing that barack obama would like most of all, and i don't mean this to say that he doesn't love america or whatever else, but what i mean, is that the president is advantaged hugely on the other side of the fiscal cliff. if he can get republicans to join hands, jump, and be on the other side, all the tax rates go up issue and he's negotiating from an advantaged position. if he kept debt that, what he would hope is he can force republicans into app auto fade op the question of tax rates and have the party consume itself ahead of midterms with primary challenges before the 2014 so he's, right now, on the tax question looking at when, when. the only hope, the only ground the republicans can hope to stand on is the debt limit increase happening in february. lou: i hear chris saying just because you reek devastation as president of the united states on your economy, doesn't mean you don't love your country. [laughter] >> well said, very well said. >> that's exactly what he was intending to say. [laughter] >> look, i mean, it's an interesting position right now for the president. if you look